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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27315166">KingsFeed Unsolved</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Applesandbannas747/pseuds/Applesandbannas747'>Applesandbannas747</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fence (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(in the case description; no spousal abuse happened to anyone in the fenceverse), M/M, Reference to Spousal Abuse, buzzfeed unsolved au, buzzfeed unsolved trypical descriptions of violance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:46:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27315166</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Applesandbannas747/pseuds/Applesandbannas747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Eugene's co-host on KingsFeed Unsolved is revealed to be the illegitimate son of KingsFeed's CEO, PR leaps into action and Eugene is none too thrilled with the result: a third co-host in the shape of Jesse Coste. Having a bratty non-believer along on shoots is not ideal, especially when Jesse's stupid enough to get himself killed unless Eugene keeps an eye on him. But Eugene's eyes might just start to linger on Jesse for other reasons too...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eugene Labao/Jesse Coste</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>KingsFeed Unsolved</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I had to write a little something for Halloween, didn't I?<br/>This fic is based off of <a href="https://thestarminstrel.tumblr.com">Thestarminstrel's</a> <a href="https://thestarminstrel.tumblr.com/tagged/bfu-au">BuzzFeed Unsolved au</a> because I love it and it felt like a fitting way to celebrate October! It should be noted that this is only <em>based</em> off of the snippets she's given us; I do not claim to know what her full idea of the au is but I enjoy it so much that I've got headcanons and shit for it XD<br/>Nik, I love you and I hope I did your au some justice &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">“Nick, I love you, but did you <em>have</em> to bring on your brat of a brother for this?” Eugene griped, frowning over at the entire production Jesse Coste was currently putting on. The channel wasn’t big enough to warrant all the hair and makeup he’d pulled some poor sap to come do before their shoot. Knowing him, it was his own personal peon. But no channel at KingsFeed, in Eugene’s opinion, warranted all that prep. They weren’t movie stars, for fuck’s sake.</p><p class="p1">Golden boy Jesse Coste had no real reason to work at KingsFeed; his father was the CEO of this place. Eugene and Nick had bets on whether he worked for the company because his father made him or out of vanity. He was the model on a popular fashion series and though he had a huge following of fans, he was notorious around the studio for being a high maintenance brat who never contributed anything but his good looks to shoots. The one thing Eugene and Nick agreed on was that the only reason Jesse hadn’t been fired for his diva behavior was because of his status of <em>boss’s son.</em></p><p class="p1">But Jesse wasn’t Robert Coste’s only son, as it turned out. Ever since that news had dropped last month, Public Relations had set the unlikely half-brothers together. Because, as the KingsFeed community had been delighted to discover, Jesse’s half-brother was none other than Nicholas Cox, the creator of KingsFeed Unsolved. He’d started up the channel almost two years ago with nothing but himself and an unwilling sidekick—that sidekick, of course, being none other than Eugene himself. The show had grown in popularity—surpassing even Jesse’s. A sore point since the start, but doubly so now that Jesse had been plucked from being the face of the Exton Fashion Channel and dropped into KingsFeed Unsolved.</p><p class="p1">The fans were all eating it up, though. Ratings were through the roof and people were having too much fun with Nick and Jesse finding their footing as brothers—and bickering all the while—to remember how sketch it was of Robert Coste to cheat on his wife twenty-three years ago. Which meant it was working and Jesse wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.</p><p class="p1">But <em>this</em> shoot?</p><p class="p1">“You think I had a say in this?” Nick grumbled right back. “A whole weekend at a supposedly haunted mansion and you think Williams would let us go without Jesse?”</p><p class="p1">Sally Williams, head of PR, was not to be messed with.</p><p class="p1">“Watch this backfire when you two kill each other.”</p><p class="p1">“Maybe we’d come back as ghosts and you’d be able to prove once and for all that they exist.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene snorted. “Make sure you kill Jesse, then. It’d be funny if his death proved the existence of the thing he’s so adamant aren’t real.”</p><p class="p1">“Don’t worry, if he gets me first, I’ll come back as a ghost and his death will <em>still </em>prove we exist when I kill from beyond the grave.”</p><p class="p1">“Solid plan.”</p><p class="p1">“We’re starting filming in two minutes,” Seiji called. He had as severe an expression as ever, like rolling the camera even a second late would end in disaster.</p><p class="p1">“Remind me again why we brought <em>him </em>on,” Nick said. Very similar in tone to the way Eugene had questioned Jesse’s presence.</p><p class="p1">“Because Seiji’s the only cameraman we could find who was willing to go on house visits with us,” Eugene reminded Nick matter-of-factly. “The guy is made of steel, he never screams or runs and ruins the take.”</p><p class="p1">“I know,” Nick sighed, “but he’s so—,” Nick arranged his face in an imitation of Seiji’s perpetual scowl.</p><p class="p1">“Starting in ten,” Seiji started the count down and Nick, Eugene, and Jesse all scrambled for their desk for the intro shot. “Nine, eight, seven…”</p><p class="p2"> </p>
<hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">“We’re on route to the Malivar House,” Nick spike into his phone, camera on. “We’re spending the entire weekend there, just me, Eugene, and Jesse.” Nick shoved the camera at each of their faces in turn. “Oh, and our illustrious cameraman.” Nick flashed the camera at the back of Seiji’s head.</p><p class="p3">Seiji preferred to be on the other side of cameras and it was something of an in-joke in the Unsolved fandom to praise the balls of the cameraman and speculate about his looks and which name in the credits belonged to him. Eugene, personally, was partial to the theory that Seiji was a demon—sure, there were demon theories for all of them, but Seiji’s popular depiction online was of some sort of shadowman void monster. Eugene thought it was wicked. He was still crossing his fingers for depictions of demon Jesse to pop up with little red devil horns.</p><p class="p3">“What do you expect to find during our stay, far away from civilization?” Nick asked in an ominous voice, swiveling the phone back around to Eugene.</p><p class="p3">“Ghosts,” Eugene said. “But I’ve got my holy water gun in case they’re mean.”</p><p class="p3">“Nice thinking,” Nick said sagely.</p><p class="p3">Jesse snorted in the front seat, twisting around to make a judgmental face at the both of them—and the camera.</p><p class="p3">“When have you two dolts <em>ever </em>found ghosts <em>anywhere? </em>They’re not real.”</p><p class="p3">“There was that thing with the ball,” Eugene reminded.</p><p class="p3">“And the nose on that dog stuffie.”</p><p class="p3">“And—,”</p><p class="p3">“Stop citing your fake-o, coincidence bull at me,” Jesse cut in. “Don’t you think you’re both a little old to seriously believe in this stuff?”</p><p class="p3">“Hey, you should be scared,” Nick warned. “Some spooky stuff’s gone on in that house.”</p><p class="p3">“Oh please. It’s not that strange that a couple of women have killed their husbands in that place. I bet they had it coming.”</p><p class="p3">“Amen to that,” Eugene agreed, holding up a hand in a high five that was ignored.</p><p class="p3"><em>“And,” </em>Jesse continued, “last I checked, none of us are married. Or particularly suited to be wives.”</p><p class="p3">“There was that one episode of Exton—,” Eugene started.</p><p class="p3">“So,” Jesse spoke over him, “the only thing I’m scared of are splinters, cobwebs, dust, and two days cut off from the rest of the world with no one but two ghost hunting morons and the human embodiment of the knife emoji for company.”</p><p class="p4"> </p>
<hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p3">The Malivar Maiden House was an old manor built into the mountains of Connecticut and had earned its name from the couple who had originally built it in 1923. Rachael Malivar had been found dead three years after moving in. Edward Malivar, her husband, had claimed to have acted in self-defense when she’d gone on a hysteric rampage, accidentally causing her death. A fall down the stairs was the cited cause of death on official reports, but it had been a scandal back in the day.</p><p class="p3">Eugene and Nick had done a True Crime episode on Rachael last season. They both stood with the popular theory: Edward was a known drunkard and violent man. There had been news articles from the 1920s of Rachael’s sisters coming out to report the bruises she’d often be covered in, hidden under long sleeves and high collars. One night, Edward had gone too far. A bashed-in skull didn’t fit with a fall down the stairs.</p><p class="p3">Now, they were returning to the case but this time through a supernatural lens. Since Rachael’s death in 1927, there had been five murders in the house. All men. And three of the murders had been pinned on the wives. The other two were highly suspected but without enough evidence to have convicted them. No one had lived in the house in ten or so years and there’d been reports of a white figure with long sleeves and high collars hanging around the place for even longer.</p><p class="p3">Eugene whistled as Seiji brought the car to a stop at the house.</p><p class="p3">“This place sure looks creepy enough to have a maiden ghost,” Eugene said.</p><p class="p3">“If she was married, she was hardly a <em>maiden,” </em>Jesse corrected, just to be annoying.</p><p class="p3">“Think if we get married, she’d possess me to murder you?” Eugene asked cheerfully.</p><p class="p3">“All those other men deserved it,” Jesse sniffed. “Which means <em>if</em> there’s a vengeful spirit possessing people to kill their awful husbands, it’d definitely be possessing me if we got married. You bruised my arm last week.”</p><p class="p3">“Would you let it go? It’s not my fault you bruise so easily, I was just giving you a friendly greeting.”</p><p class="p3">“By punching my shoulder?” Jesse shook his head in disgust.</p><p class="p3">“You guys ready for this?” Nick asked, springing from the car with his pack over his shoulder.</p><p class="p3">“You know it!” Eugene called, slapping a high five against Nick’s upheld palm. <em>That</em> was how you did it, not ignoring the hand and leaving a bro hanging.</p><p class="p3">“Let's get this over with,” Jesse muttered.</p><p class="p3">“We’re starting in the living room,” Seiji reminded, toting his equipment into the mansion.</p><p class="p3">Set up went quickly—Seiji was efficient as all hell, which made him worth his weight in gold, no matter if he and Nick didn’t always get along.</p><p class="p3">“We’re here at the Malivar Maiden House,” Nick started after Seiji gave him the go-ahead. “The sun has just set and we’re starting our investigation here in the living room, one of the most active spots for ghost sightings.”</p><p class="p3">Jesse snorted. Nick continued.</p><p class="p3">“Rachael, if you’re here, can you let us know?”</p><p class="p3">“How’s she going to do that, moron?” Jesse asked. “You didn’t even turn on your box of bullshit.”</p><p class="p3">“Great idea, Jesse!” Eugene said, pulling out the so-called box of bullshit and plopping it on the table in front of them. “Why don’t you interview our ghost friend?”</p><p class="p3">Jesse stared at the black contraption in distaste for a long moment before sighing, likely remembering that his father expected him to play along with this stunt, and turned the dial, spilling choppy static into the room.</p><p class="p3">“There’s no signal, no way is this thing going to catch anything.”</p><p class="p3">“The ghosts will find a way, bro. Hey, Rachael, or whoever might be hanging around these parts, I’m Eugene. Can you repeat my name back to me?”</p><p class="p3">The Spirit Box garbled together a single syllable in the tangle of interference.</p><p class="p3">“…<em>Bro…”</em></p><p class="p3">Everyone stared at the box for a moment, listening for more. Eugene was the first to speak over the static with a victorious hoot of laughter.</p><p class="p3">“See! Ghosts always find a way!”</p><p class="p3">“That’s not your name,” Jesse protested.</p><p class="p3">“Aw, Rachael’s just skipping the formalities because she knows I’m chill,” Eugene waved away the concern. “Bro is close enough.”</p><p class="p3">Try as they might, they couldn’t draw out another intelligible thing from the box and put it away before moving on with the investigation. They took a tour of the house together, Nick narrating the different grizzly murders and the shape and frequency of ghosts associated with each location visited. They ended at the bottom of the grand staircase, which Rachael Malivar had allegedly lost her life falling down.</p><p class="p3">“Interesting thing about this spot,” Nick explained. “It’s not nearly as high on otherworldly traffic as other places, which makes a lot of people question if this was really where Rachael lost her life a hundred years ago. There’s a lot more activity from her in the living room and master bedroom—coincidently, the locations we’ll be sleeping in.”</p><p class="p3">“We shoulda used that as evidence in the Malivar case last season,” Eugene said.</p><p class="p3">“What? That you two sleep together in strange rooms? I hardly see how that’s relevant to murder,” Jesse sniped.</p><p class="p3">“The master bedroom <em>does</em> have a big fancy bed,” Eugene reasoned, tilting his head as if in consideration. “What do you think, Nickster?”</p><p class="p3">“I think we should go check it out again,” Nick said, playing it straight. Or, as the case may be, playing it queer.</p><p class="p3">“Yes, I think we’d better. Jesse, you stay here and keep our illusive cameraman company while your brother and I…” Eugene’s words trailed to a halt as the lights flickered, then gave out. They were left in total darkness.</p><p class="p3">“Turning on night vision,” Seiji said calmly, unfazed as ever by any of it.</p><p class="p3">“Woah,” Eugene said, a little fazed, “what the hell?”</p><p class="p3">“Is somebody there?” Nick asked, fumbling to pull out the Spirit Box again—Eugene heard its static a moment later. “Rachael? Edward? Tate? Nathanial—?”</p><p class="p3">“Oh for the love of—let’s just go turn back on the lights, why don’t we?” Jesse huffed. Eugene heard him shifting around, as if he meant to go find the circuit breaker himself.</p><p class="p3">“Uh, Jesse?” Eugene asked, eyes finally adjusting to the dim room and tracking Jesse as he opened the door to the basement.</p><p class="p3">“What?”</p><p class="p3">“Maybe going into the basement of a murder house during an unexpected power outage all alone is not a great idea?”</p><p class="p3">Eugene couldn’t see Jesse well enough to see his eyes roll but he <em>knew</em> him well enough by now to know that they were most definitely rolling.</p><p class="p3">“For someone who looks like he could fight a bear, you sure are a coward.”</p><p class="p3">And with those lovely last words, Jesse trotted down the stairs and let the door shut behind him.</p><p class="p3">“He really just did that,” Nick said, dumbfounded. “No flashlight or anything. How does he think he’s gonna see?”</p><p class="p3">“You know, I was mostly joking earlier about him dying and proving the existence of ghosts by coming back as one but I’m starting to think we might have our proof soon enough, Nick.”</p><p class="p3">“No kidding.”</p><p class="p3">They both stared after Jesse then, waiting either for the lights to flicker back to life or for Jesse to start screaming. Eugene tried not to care about whatever Jesse was getting up to down there, he really did.</p><p class="p3">“Gah!” Eugene exclaimed, swiping a flashlight from their ghost hunting kit—Eugene still sometimes couldn’t believe he and Nick had a fucking <em>ghost hunting kit—</em>and went for the door Jesse had recently slipped through.</p><p class="p3">“Eugene,” Seiji said urgently, startling Eugene into looking back at him with a little bit of a jump. Seiji never sounded alarmed. “Turn on your camera.”</p><p class="p3">“Of course,” Eugene said. What else would Seiji be thinking about but the successful production of this episode?</p><p class="p3">Eugene had been first up for a solo in-the-dark walk of the haunted hall outside the master bedroom, so he was already strapped into the filming gear. On the camera went and down the stairs he went, flashlight beam cutting through the dark.</p><p class="p3">“It’s too late to prove you’re not a coward,” Jesse said, looking to Eugene with an unimpressed expression as he came into the basement. “You even brought a flashlight.”</p><p class="p3">“Bringing a flashlight is called <em>smart,</em> not cowardice. Any luck finding the breaker in the dark, genius?”</p><p class="p3">Jesse sniffed but didn’t answer.</p><p class="p3">“Yeah, I thought so. Besides, I came down here to make sure your ass doesn’t get got.”</p><p class="p3">“Excuse me?” Jesse asked, arms crossing over his chest and eyes narrowing dangerously. “What does that mean?”</p><p class="p3">Eugene laughed.</p><p class="p3">“Haven’t you ever seen a horror movie?”</p><p class="p3">“What? Of course not, I don’t watch trash.”</p><p class="p3">“Yeah, you’d better stick with me on these things from now on.”</p><p class="p3">“Why?”</p><p class="p3">“You’re the slutty cheerleader that gets it first, man,” Eugene told Jesse before shouldering past him to the generator.</p><p class="p3">“I’m the—? I am <em>not</em> a slut <em>or</em> a cheerleader!” Jesse rounded on Eugene.</p><p class="p3">“Metaphorically speaking, that’s what you are. The dumb white girl that splits off from the rest of the group.”</p><p class="p3">“I’m not dumb.”</p><p class="p3">“You came down here without a way to see what you were doing.”</p><p class="p3">“Whatever. You followed.”</p><p class="p3">“Exactly,” Eugene nodded, pleased that Jesse had grasped the concept. “So stick with me and I’ll make sure your ass doesn’t get got.”</p><p class="p3">“I don’t need <em>you</em> to make sure of that,” Jesse snapped.</p><p class="p3">“Right. Who’d want your ass anyway?”</p><p class="p3">“You are—!” Apparently, whatever Eugene was, it was beyond words because Jesse cut off his statement in a frustrated scream.</p><p class="p3">“Come on, cheerleader, let’s get back upstairs to the others,” Eugene called as the lights came back to life. “And remember to stick with me. Don’t need you finding some suspiciously boarded off door and going through it alone or finding a nice crack in the mountain to try and fit into.”</p><p class="p3">“Why would I do either of those things?”</p><p class="p3">“You tell me.”</p><p class="p3">“I’m <em>not</em> sticking with you. I’d rather actually spend quality time with Nick like I’m supposed to during these things than spend that time with you.”</p><p class="p3">“Yeah, sure, whatever,” Eugene agreed. But he somehow doubted Nick would actually keep an eye on his dumb older brother.</p><p class="p4"> </p>
<hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">Eugene was right. Nick <em>hadn’t</em> kept an eye on Jesse.</p><p class="p1">“What do you mean you <em>lost</em> him?” Eugene asked, finding Seiji and Nick waiting in the living room after making his lonely stroll down the haunted hallway. Jesse was meant to go next but he was nowhere in sight.</p><p class="p1">“I mean I was checking in on the static cam and when I came back, Jesse was gone.”</p><p class="p1">“Don’t look at me,” Seiji said when Eugene looked at him. “I’m not a babysitter.”</p><p class="p1">“So you let him wander off?” Eugene demanded. “Just like that?”</p><p class="p1">“Of course not. I told him to film with his phone. Extra footage for Dante to use when editing if anything interesting happens.”</p><p class="p1">“Oh, in that case,” Eugene said, exaggeratedly blasé and understanding.</p><p class="p1">“Why do you care so much, Gene?” Nick asked. “You were even less thrilled about him coming with us than I was.”</p><p class="p1">“I don’t actually need his death on my conscience, Nick. And that boy is dumb enough to get himself murdered by ghosts.”</p><p class="p1">“Doubtful,” Seiji put in. “Ghosts would have to be real for that logic to work. But I think he went outside if you’re really set on saving him from vengeful spirits.”</p><p class="p1">“Thanks,” Eugene muttered, grabbing up his leather jacket and heading for the front door.</p><p class="p1">“You don’t believe in ghosts?” he heard Nick ask before leaving the house.</p><p class="p1">It was a full moon out tonight, bright enough to see with moderate ease.</p><p class="p1">“Jesse?” Eugene called into the crisp night air. He needn’t have bothered. With a step around the big studio van, Eugene saw a familiar blond head bobbing about ridiculously as Jesse held his phone up to the sky.</p><p class="p1">“You again?” Jesse asked with a flick of eyes over his shoulder to Eugene. They quickly returned to his cell. No service.</p><p class="p1">“What’s so important?” Eugene asked.</p><p class="p1">“I’m a very important person with very important contacts and content to keep track of and—,” Jesse stumbled briefly to huff as, for once, Eugene snorted at what <em>he</em> was saying instead of the other way around, “—and I like to be in the know. I can’t <em>believe</em> Dad made me come on this stupid trip. I told him I’d rather die.”</p><p class="p1">“That’ll just show him when you do. It would serve him right, sacrificing you to the ghosts like this.”</p><p class="p1">“Would you shut up about the ghosts? I’m getting real tired of you and Nick prattling on about things that don’t exist.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene didn’t say anything. Jesse still had his hand waving in the air. He was very intent on watching it, too. Didn’t even have half a glance to spare at Eugene anymore. Eugene took advantage. Quietly, he stalked toward Jesse, careful not to let any leaves crunch underfoot.</p><p class="p1">With quick precision, Eugene latched his arms around Jesse’s middle and picked him up off the ground. Jesse screamed and dropped his phone, hands jumping to Eugene’s arms and legs flailing to kick him.</p><p class="p1">“Boo,” Eugene said against Jesse’s ear. He set Jesse down again but didn’t let go.</p><p class="p1">“What are you <em>doing?”</em></p><p class="p1">“Told you your ass would get got.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse jerked out of Eugene’s hold. Eugene let him.</p><p class="p1">“You’re not a ghost. But I will kill you myself if you broke my phone.”</p><p class="p1">“I scared you good for someone who doesn’t believe in monsters.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m beginning to think <em>you</em> count as one.” Jesse crouched on the ground, inspecting his phone, but it seemed to be fine.</p><p class="p1">“Everything okay out here?” Nick called. “We heard a scream.”</p><p class="p1">“Aw, look, Jess, Nick <em>does</em> care.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse stood up and shoved a finger in Eugene’s face.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t call me Jess. I don’t like you nearly enough to let you call me that.”</p><p class="p1">“Whatever you say, cheerleader.”</p><p class="p2"> </p>
<hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I cannot <em>believe </em>that I’m expected to sleep here.”</p><p class="p1">“Maybe if your show had been more popular than ours, you wouldn’t have to,” Nick told Jesse, as unimpressed with his brother’s restated complaints as Eugene was.</p><p class="p1">“Ooh, burn,” Eugene said jovially, earning a nasty look from Jesse. “Nick, bro, you’d have been a hot model over on the Exton Fashion Channel, I’m almost sorry I don’t get to see it.”</p><p class="p1">“Aw, bro,” Nick crooned, “you know <em>you’d </em>be the hottest model. Maybe we should do a special.”</p><p class="p1">“Absolutely not. I don’t want either of you near my channel, you’d lower the class considerably.”</p><p class="p1">“No, no, I think he’s on to something. We could do a crossover episode. Ghost hunting fashion.”</p><p class="p1">“This,” Jesse gestured over Eugene and Nick, “does not count as fashion. It’s just sad.”</p><p class="p1">“Jesse,” Seiji said, interrupting the conversation as easily as if he hadn’t heard a word of it, “you can sleep down in the living room with Eugene for tonight. Nicholas and I will take the master bedroom.”</p><p class="p1">That interested Eugene. He shot a quick glance between his best friend and their cameraman.</p><p class="p1">“Looking to get Nick all alone?” he asked. He got another dirty look, this one from Seiji.</p><p class="p1">“Hardly. But I think it’s quite evident that only one of us cares to babysit Jesse.”</p><p class="p1">“Babysit me?” Jesse asked, indignant. “I don’t need to be babysat.”</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, fair point,” Eugene sighed. “I’ll take Jesse.”</p><p class="p1">“How—<em>rude,” </em>Jesse spluttered.</p><p class="p1">Seiji shut down his camera and lowered it.</p><p class="p1">“I trust you know how to work all the equipment,” Seiji said, already shouldering his pack. “Make sure to take some footage before going to bed. The fans will want to see that.”</p><p class="p1">“They’d like it better if me and Eugene were sharing a room,” Nick said with a wink to Eugene.</p><p class="p1">“Too bad,” Seiji cut in before Eugene could respond. That response was a little quick, wasn’t it? Eugene watched with a kindling interest as Seiji cut deftly through the space and made his way upstairs.</p><p class="p1">“Better get to it, Nick,” Eugene said. “Seiji specially requested your presence. Wouldn’t want to keep him waiting.”</p><p class="p1">“Don’t,” Nick warned, pointing a finger at Eugene. It made him laugh, reminding him of the other finger that had been in his face tonight. Maybe there really was something between the brothers, even if they liked to pretend otherwise.</p><p class="p1">Nick unenthusiastically made his way up the stairs after Seiji.</p><p class="p1">“Looks like it’s just you and me, pal,” Eugene turned to Jesse.</p><p class="p1">“I’m not your pal.”</p><p class="p1">“Not my Jess and not my pal, huh? You’ve got a lot of rules.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse didn’t respond. He primly went about setting up his sleeping bag with a fancy padded air mat that fit snuggly inside the yellow-orange bag he’d brought. And then, to Eugene’s supreme amusement, he pulled out a bathroom bag that looked to be overflowing with products. With bag in hand and with his white and gray pajamas folded neatly over his arm, Jesse trotted off to a bathroom. Eugene did likewise; grabbing his toothbrush and sweats, he found one of the seven bathrooms in this place—it was huge—and got ready for bed. Jesse wasn’t back when he returned. And, in fact, it was forty full minutes after that that Jesse finally reappeared.</p><p class="p1">“Did you take a shower?” Eugene asked, amazed at the length of time Jesse’s nightly routine had managed to eat up.</p><p class="p1">“Of course not,” Jesse scoffed. “Why would I take a shower in this place? I’ll bet you didn’t even wash your face.”</p><p class="p1">“Nope. Camping isn’t the place for that.”</p><p class="p1">“This isn’t camping.”</p><p class="p1">“Close enough. Nice pajamas.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse crossed his arms, clearly unable to tell if Eugene was trying to make fun of him or not. Eugene wasn’t <em>not </em>trying to make fun of him—Jesse’s pajamas were a little ridiculous if you asked him. But he also wasn’t lying in the sentiment behind the comment. Jesse looked good in the heather white t-shirt and light gray sweatpants he wore. And he even looked good in the overlong gray sweater he wore over the ensemble. It was like he was modeling men’s sleepwear for one of his fashion videos. Jesse always looked like that. Deserving of a camera. If only he wasn’t such a diva. The dude <em>knew </em>he was gorgeous and he was insufferable about it.</p><p class="p1">“Come say goodnight to the people,” Eugene called to Jesse, phone already rolling.</p><p class="p1">“Goodnight,” Jesse said flatly, not coming over at all. Eugene flopped the camera to get a shot of Jesse’s flat-lipped expression and crossed arms. Jesse widened his eyes and twitched his mouth at Eugene. <em>Well? </em>that look demanded, <em>are you done now?</em></p><p class="p1">Just for that, Eugene kept the camera on Jesse while he sighed and climbed carefully into his sleeping bag.</p><p class="p1">“Guess that means I’m on light duty,” Eugene commented, turning the camera back on himself. “Well, everyone, here we are. Night one at the Malivar Murder House. We didn’t find much here today but maybe we’ll catch something on the cams tonight. Plus, there’s always tomorrow! Nick’s upstairs tonight in the master bedroom, and I’ve got our very own resident beauty queen Jesse here with me in the living room. Wish me luck!” With a flash of a peace sign and a broad grin, Eugene turned off the phone.</p><p class="p1">“Can we get to bed now?” By the way Jesse asked it, you’d think Eugene had been throwing a super loud party and purposefully keeping him up.</p><p class="p1">“Sure, sure.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene stood to go turn off the light and made his way carefully back to the sleeping bags. One time, he’d stepped on Nick after turning off the lights. He didn’t think Jesse would be as cool about it as Nick had been if he repeated the mistake.</p><p class="p1">Eugene yawned and slipped into his bag, beating his pillow into shape and hunkering down for the night. He was on the edge of sleep when a voice pulled him back to wakefulness. Not an unfamiliar or otherworldly voice. Just the pitched confidence of Jesse’s obnoxious voice. Only, it was softer than usual as he spoke now and not quite so annoying as usual.</p><p class="p1">“How long have you and Nick been…” Jesse cleared his throat. “You know. Together?”</p><p class="p1">Eugene muffled a laugh into his pillow at the question, asked quietly but not quietly enough that the camera wouldn’t pick up on it. Dante might edit the question out—you’d think he would. But Dante was a well-loved and vital part of KingsFeed Unsolved because of the dumbass moments he decided to keep in—the moments that no sane, reasonable editor that gave two shits about propriety would ever put in the episode. So Eugene shuffled his sleeping bag right up next to Jesse’s and leaned over him, brushing hair out of the way so he could whisper right into Jesse’s ear.</p><p class="p1">“We’re not,” Eugene breathed, so quiet there was no way it was picked up. “Nick and I aren’t like that, we just have our fun joking around.”</p><p class="p1">“Oh, I—,”</p><p class="p1">Eugene pressed his fingers against Jesse’s mouth.</p><p class="p1">“Shhh,” he hushed, “the cameras.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse jerked away from him then, whether from the offense at Eugene’s closeness and touch had finally caught up with him or the reminder of the cameras had spooked him, Eugene couldn’t say. But Jesse wasn’t willing to suffer the indignity of worming away from Eugene in his sleeping bag, so they remained side by side, Jesse elevated a little above Eugene on his mat.</p><p class="p1">“I think it’s pretty cool of you, doing this for Nick,” Eugene said. He wasn’t sure why it came out. Only that they’d been talking about Nick and it had made Eugene think it.</p><p class="p1">“Doing what?”</p><p class="p1">“Being here. Getting to know him and all. Not hating him for existing.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s not really his fault Dad fucked up,” Jesse mumbled. “But I’m not doing this for him. I’m being forced to host this tacky little show with you guys around my Exton schedule. It’s not like I want to be here.”</p><p class="p1">“I know…But you could definitely quit KingsFeed. Or just not show up to these shoots. I think you’re here for Nick, at least a little.”</p><p class="p1">“Whatever, think what you want,” Jesse dismissed.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve got little brothers too.”</p><p class="p1">“Does that matter?”</p><p class="p1">“It does to me.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse made a derisive sound. But Eugene also heard the rustle of his sleeping bag and the <em>thwump</em> of his body as he turned around. In another moment, a hand was gently holding his face still and soft lips were brushing against his ear.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t tell him I care.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene reached to catch the back of Jesse’s head before he pulled away, fingers burying in Jesse’s fluffy hair as he pulled him back down to whisper something in return.</p><p class="p1">“Wouldn’t want people thinking there’s more to you than a pretty face and a bratty attitude, now would we?”</p><p class="p2"> </p>
<hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Good news!” Nick called, loudly stomping into the room and waking Eugene. “I didn’t get eaten by ghosts last night! Any luck feeding Jesse to the ghosts, Gene?”</p><p class="p1">“Oh, fuck off,” Jesse grouched. Eugene was somewhat surprised at how clearly he could hear the grumble and the following shift of sleeping bag.</p><p class="p1">“Is there a reason you guys decided to go for the king mattress look?” Nick asked.</p><p class="p1">King mattress…?</p><p class="p1">“Oh,” Eugene said, sitting up with a yawn and taking stock of the brightening room and the sleeping bag pressed right up against his. “I had something super important to tell Jesse last night, ‘s all.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse’s bag rustled more as he dipped down into it, like he meant to ignore them all and go back to bed.</p><p class="p1">“Like what?” Nick wondered, dubious.</p><p class="p1">“Jealous?” Eugene asked with a loping grin and a roguish wink.</p><p class="p1">“I trust you more than <em>that, </em>man.”</p><p class="p1">“Thanks. We ready to get up and with it? Jesse?” Eugene elbowed the lump next to him. It elbowed him back.</p><p class="p1">“I slept horribly last night, I need at least three mocha cappuccinos and an hour with hair and makeup. Ask me again if I’m ready to get up when you can provide those things.”</p><p class="p1">“Suit yourself,” Eugene shrugged. <em>He </em>was ready to get up now that Nick had trundled in and interrupted his sleep. He assumed Jesse would get with it eventually but he was still a stubborn log in the middle of the living room when the rest of them were dressed and had their sleeping bags packed away.</p><p class="p1">“This is entirely unprofessional, Jesse,” Seiji said disapprovingly, checking all the cams for battery life and setting them up charging.</p><p class="p1">Jesse didn’t answer. Eugene bent over next to the orangish lump and carefully pulled up a corner with a finger, peering inside. No blue eyes peered accusingly out at him from the depths. He let the flap drop again.</p><p class="p1">“Hey,” Eugene said quietly, nudging Seiji, “get a camera rolling.”</p><p class="p1">“Why?”</p><p class="p1">“For some fun.”</p><p class="p1">Seiji eyed him suspiciously but he did as asked.</p><p class="p1">“What are we up to?” Nick asked Eugene excitedly. Eugene grinned and thumbed toward Jesse.</p><p class="p1">“He’s asleep. Think we can get him outside without waking him?”</p><p class="p1">“Too bad there’s no lake around here.”</p><p class="p1">“Hey, but there’s a well somewhere.”</p><p class="p1">“Should we drop him down it?”</p><p class="p1">“Probably not. But there’s a nice pile of leaves we could bury him under out behind the house.”</p><p class="p1">“I’ll get his feet,” Nick said, already on the move. Eugene nodded, squatting down to grab the two corners of sleeping bag above Jesse’s head.</p><p class="p1">He looked at Nick and together they picked up the sleeping boy between them. Jesse wasn’t heavy, but trying not to jostle him in the move or wake him with stifled laughter was a difficult trick.</p><p class="p1">They made it out the front door, Seiji trailing behind them with a camera, before Nick blew their cover with a crazy loud snort. The bag jostled, rocked, shrieked.</p><p class="p1">“What are you—?” Jesse demanded, trying to sit up but he flipped over in the bag instead.</p><p class="p1">“Woah!” Eugene said, managing to keep from letting the slippery fabric tug out from his grip.</p><p class="p1">Jesse struggled to right himself in the bag, flipping back over and returning to equilibrium. But his furious face poked out at, positioned in the perfect vantage to glare at Eugene. Eugene was sure he could see a muscle pulsing in irritation at Jesse’s neck.</p><p class="p1">“You are all <em>so </em>dead! Put. Me. Down!”</p><p class="p1">“Or what?” Eugene challenged.</p><p class="p1">“Or I’ll sue you! I—ah!” Jesse screamed again as he plummeted to the ground. Nick had let go of his feet.</p><p class="p1">Eugene fell quickly to his knees, preventing Jesse’s upper half from hitting the ground by catching Jesse in his lap. It was the best he could do—he hadn’t been expecting Nick to let go.</p><p class="p1">“Sorry,” Nick said, hands up and teeth gleaming in a wide smile, “I didn’t want to risk a lawsuit.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene kept his face straight, nodding like this made perfect and reasonable sense. Jesse gave another strangled scream of frustration and fought his way out of his trappings.</p><p class="p1">“I hate all of you,” he said, pointing a finger at each of them in turn, including Seiji behind his camera. Then he stormed inside.</p><p class="p1">Eugene stood, exchanging a fist bump with Nick over the prank.</p><p class="p2"> </p>
<hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">Jesse was in a foul mood the entire day, even less willing to humor them than usual. Try as he might to trample down the ghost talk and belittle them for believing in the supernatural, Nick and Eugene had plenty of fun prodding and poking at him until he was in an even worse mood than ever.</p><p class="p3">“This is the <em>last </em>time I let Dad and Williams talk me into more than a very brief appearance on your tacky show. I don’t see why anyone even likes it.”</p><p class="p3">“Because we’re fun,” Nick offered.</p><p class="p3">“Fun isn’t the word I’d use for you two,” Jesse replied with open hostility.</p><p class="p3">“Aw, come on, bud. We’re not <em>that </em>bad. I busted my jeans saving you this morning.” Eugene gestured to the newly torn knee in his favorite pair of blue jeans. Jesse frowned down at it.</p><p class="p3">“It’s your fault in the first place.” Then, “Did you wash that?” in reference to the skinned knee under the torn fabric. “If you bleed on any of my stuff—,”</p><p class="p3">Eugene laughed, drowning out Jesse’s probable threats about lawyers.</p><p class="p3">“For a second there, I almost thought you cared about me.”</p><p class="p3">“As if.”</p><p class="p3">“Guys, our cameraman’s getting impatient,” Nick said. Eugene glanced at Seiji’s face and saw that this was true. Seiji, unlike Dante and the fandom, would rather they cut the banter and shenanigans and get right to business. <em>Ghost</em> business.</p><p class="p3">“Since when do you care what our cameraman’s feeling?” Eugene asked, amused at Nick pointing out the obvious like it actually mattered.</p><p class="p3">“I <em>care,” </em>Nick retorted, speaking into the camera with the same sort of expression and inflection he often directed at Eugene when filming.</p><p class="p3">
  <em>Interesting.</em>
</p><p class="p3">“I don’t see what there is to be impatient <em>about,”</em> Jesse grumbled. “It’s not like you guys really <em>do</em> anything on this show. You just walk around musty old houses with novelty gadgets.”</p><p class="p3">“A lot goes into this show,” Nick protested—as head honcho of the thing, he <em>would</em> know how much work went into it. “Not that you’d know.”</p><p class="p3">“What does that mean?”</p><p class="p3">“It means,” Eugene replied slyly, “that everyone knows you contribute nothing but a pretty face and a gorgeous body to the Exton Fashion Channel.”</p><p class="p3">“Oh,” Jesse said, tossing his head as he looked over to Eugene with a smug little smirk playing at his lips, “so you admit that you think I’m hot? You keep saying that.”</p><p class="p3"><em>Keep?</em> Nick mouthed at Eugene over Jesse’s shoulder.</p><p class="p3"><em>Do I?</em> Eugene wondered. But it wasn’t so strange, really, to have noticed the way Jesse looked. Annoying and hot were, unfortunately, not mutually exclusive traits.</p><p class="p3">“You know I do,” Eugene said, slipping into flirtation easily. “Never seen a waist like that on a dude and never seen eyes like those on anyone. I keep telling you that you ought to be careful at these haunts, Jess, or your ass might just get got.”</p><p class="p3">Jesse’s smirk fell away, pale face suddenly flushing more deeply than Eugene would previously have assumed it could—he’d never seen Jesse Coste blush at all.</p><p class="p3">“Hey, wrong brother, dude,” Nick interjected, voice already overfilling with laughter.</p><p class="p3">“Shoot, my bad,” Eugene shook his head guiltily, “it’s just that you two look so similar, I get mixed up.”</p><p class="p3">At that, Nick’s laughter spilled over and it wasn’t long before Eugene’s was joining it. When they regained the ability to breathe without succumbing to more hysterics, Eugene noticed that Jesse had disappeared. Probably out to look for a phone signal again. He didn’t think much of it.</p><p class="p4"> </p>
<hr/><p class="p4"> </p><p class="p1">“Did we want to get more footage with Jesse?” Seiji asked later as the sun finally dipped down behind the colorful treetops this house overlooked. “People might wonder where he went if he disappears for the second half of the episode.”</p><p class="p1">“I was sure he’d wander back here,” Eugene said, looking around as if he expected to find Jesse pouting in a doorway. He didn’t, Jesse wasn’t pouting anywhere Eugene could see.</p><p class="p1">“Better go find him before Rachael does,” Nick said ominously. “We all agreed he’s your responsibility.”</p><p class="p1">“Dunno how we worked that out when he’s <em>your</em> brother.”</p><p class="p1">Nick shrugged. “Anyway, it’s your fault he ran off.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene frowned but, thinking back, it was perfectly plausible his teasing had angered Jesse into finding some demon crevice in the rocks nearby to climb into for a nice sulk.</p><p class="p1">“Fine, I’ll go retrieve him.”</p><p class="p1">For the second night in a row, Eugene grabbed his jacket and pulled it on, scooping up a flashlight on his way to go track down Jesse in the dark.</p><p class="p1">“Jesse?” Eugene called but got no response. The driveway was empty of everything but the van they’d driven here in. Eugene peered inside it, just in case. It was a cold night and he’d noticed Jesse’s jacket still hanging inside. Maybe Jesse hadn’t even come outside; it didn’t seem like him to withstand the discomfort of the cold for hours just to prove a point.</p><p class="p1">But Eugene ventured farther into the dark anyway. They’d been all over the house since Jesse had slipped away and Eugene was starting to realize that such a long absence was a little worrying. He’d been busy goofing around with Nick, running around the hallways asking ghosts to come talk to him, and conducting experiments with flashlights and the Spirit Box.</p><p class="p1">Leaves crunched underfoot as Eugene rounded the house, sweeping his flashlight left to right and back again.</p><p class="p1">“Jesse?” he called again. Louder, “Jesse!”</p><p class="p1">Nothing.</p><p class="p1">He made an entire lap around the house searching and shouting for Jesse when he finally acknowledged the way his pulse had started to race and a pit of worry had opened itself in his stomach. He glanced up at the door to the manor, debating going inside and raising the alarm. If something was really wrong…</p><p class="p1">“Dumb fucking white cheerleader ass bastard,” Eugene muttered, raking a hand through his hair in indecision, “you <em>would</em> split off from the group and get yourself murdered, wouldn’t you? Just to fucking spite me.”</p><p class="p1">One more round, Eugene decided, then he’d go inside and tell Seiji to speed down to a spot with signal and call in a whole search and rescue team.</p><p class="p1">“Jesse!” Eugene bellowed, light catching on the pile of leaves he’d tried to dump Jesse in this morning.</p><p class="p1">“Eugene?” Never had Eugene been so glad to hear that voice. “Finally—I’m over here, I fell and—,”</p><p class="p1">Eugene was already sprinting toward the leaves from which Jesse’s hoarse voice croaked. Approaching the pile, Eugene saw that the leaves had been dispersed and a rotted slab of wood had broken. The well. It was here, had been right here hiding under the leaves all this time. And Jesse had fallen in.</p><p class="p1">“Are you hurt?” Eugene asked, flat on his stomach and reaching down into the pit even as he asked. His eyes scanned over Jesse. He looked a little disheveled and had a scrape on his arm but no tears tracked down his face, no blood stained his clothes, no bones jutted at awkward angles.</p><p class="p1">“No,” Jesse said, taking Eugene’s hand. “But I’m freezing.”</p><p class="p1">“I can tell.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene grasped his hand around Jesse’s wrist as Jesse’s icy fingers closed around his like a vice. With a heave from Eugene and some scrambling from Jesse, they managed to get him out of the shallow well. Jesse didn’t let go of him even after crawling onto level ground so Eugene got to his feet and pulled Jesse up with him, catching him at the waist with his free hand.</p><p class="p1">“Don’t go falling back in there, you might break something this time.”</p><p class="p1">“I won’t,” Jesse scowled, hand overlapping Eugene’s at his waist as if contemplating shucking it off of him. But he hesitated. Eugene noticed again how cold Jesse’s skin was, how he seemed to lean into Eugene’s heat.</p><p class="p1">“Here.” Eugene pulled away from Jesse to shrug out of his jacket, dropping it over Jesse’s shoulders. “My leftover body heat should warm you right up.”</p><p class="p1">“Do you have to say it like that?” Jesse muttered, but he did slip arms through the sleeves.</p><p class="p1">“You look pretty good in a leather jacket,” Eugene commented after a quick appraisal. The jacket fit Jesse differently than it did Eugene, falling on his thinner shoulders and down his longer torso to create a whole new effect than Eugene was used to seeing the worn brown jacket evoke. Jesse made everything look like high fashion.</p><p class="p1">“I’m fine,” Jesse said, misreading Eugene’s once over. Eugene already knew Jesse was fine. “But I was stuck down there for ages. You should have come after me sooner,” he accused, red nose lifting high at his proclamation.</p><p class="p1"><em>“I</em> should have?” Eugene asked, eyebrows shooting up. “How do you figure that?”</p><p class="p1">“It’s what you do, isn’t it? Come after me.”</p><p class="p1">“To make sure you’re not being too dumb,” Eugene clarified hastily. “Damnit, you’re right. I’ve spent this whole weekend chasing your dumb ass around. But that doesn’t give you an excuse to go climbing into wells for funsies.”</p><p class="p1">“I fell,” Jesse corrected, raking hands up and down his arms. “I thought you’d all forget about me and I’d have to spend the night down there and—,”</p><p class="p1">“Hey,” Eugene interrupted him softly. “I know. Bet it wasn’t fun down there, huh? I’m sorry you fell. Let’s get you back inside now.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene pried one of Jesse’s hands off his arm and led him around to the front of the house by it. But before they could go inside, Jesse tugged them to a stop.</p><p class="p1">“Is it the same?” he asked.</p><p class="p1">“What?”</p><p class="p1">“When you—<em>say</em> those things to me. Is it like when you say them to Nick?”</p><p class="p1">“Oh, you mean the flirting bit for the show?”</p><p class="p1">“There you two are!” Nick said, bursting out the front door with Seiji right behind him, camera up. Jesse pulled his hand out of Eugene’s. “I was starting to wonder what you were getting up to.”</p><p class="p1">“More like where Jesse got down to,” Eugene revised. “He found that well we were looking for earlier.”</p><p class="p1">“Hah!” Nick exclaimed. “Got dropped down it after all!” But then he squinted at Jesse and his face rearranged a little. “Do we need to go down to a hospital or something?”</p><p class="p1">Eugene glanced over at Jesse to see what about him had elicited concern in Nick. It was his face, Eugene realized as soon as he saw it. It was scrunched and tight and upset and Eugene wondered if he’d been lying about not having any injuries.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve only got a scrape,” Jesse dismissed, walking briskly up the front steps and into the house. “I’m just going to freshen up.”</p><p class="p1">“What’s up with him?” Nick asked but Eugene didn’t know.</p><p class="p1">They paused filming until Jesse was ready, stepping out of the bathroom all spruced up.</p><p class="p1">“Did you wash out that scrape?” Eugene asked.</p><p class="p1">“No. I’m bleeding all over your jacket. Serves you right for abandoning me down there all day.”</p><p class="p1">“It wasn’t all day.” But Eugene did feel bad for not noticing Jesse’s absence as suspicious earlier so he didn’t ask for his jacket back.</p><p class="p1">Jesse wore it for the rest of filming.</p><p class="p1">“…and for tonight,” Nick said into the camera for their last group shot of the evening, “we’re trading places! Eugene’s taking Jesse upstairs and I’m taking our cameraman right here.”</p><p class="p1">“Do you have to say it like that?” Jesse snapped.</p><p class="p1">“Like what?” Nick asked innocently, but he winked at the camera. Or, more likely, the man behind the camera. Eugene lazily followed his gaze and was a little surprised to see that either the line or the wink had rattled Seiji in a way nothing else on their adventures ever had.</p><p class="p1">“What did I say about watching your ass?” Eugene asked Jesse innocently.</p><p class="p1">Jesse thwacked Eugene’s shoulder solidly for the quip and Seiji shut off the camera.</p><p class="p1">“I’m not a part of the show,” Seiji reminded coldly. “Leave me out of it.”</p><p class="p1">“Hey, I didn’t name drop, did I?”</p><p class="p1">“You so <em>are </em>a part of the fandom,” Eugene said. “You’ve got voidsonas and headcanons and everything.”</p><p class="p1">“I’ve got <em>what? </em>I don’t think any of those are real words.”</p><p class="p1">“I’ll show you,” Nick offered. “There’s some fun stuff on the web, how have you not seen any of it?”</p><p class="p1">“I don’t believe I really want to.”</p><p class="p1">“Come on, it’ll be fun.”</p><p class="p1">And with that, Nick pulled Seiji over to the couch and sat them down, phone out. Eugene was about to go join them—Seiji discovering his place in the KingsFeed Unsolved fandom would be hilarious to watch—but Jesse’s hand landed on his arm, preventing him from even making a move for the couch.</p><p class="p1">“Where did you put my sleeping bag?”</p><p class="p1">“You mean after you left it in the middle of the driveway?”</p><p class="p1"><em>“After </em>you hauled me out there in it, yes.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s upstairs.”</p><p class="p1">“Then let’s go.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene looked again at the fun to be had on the couch. But he followed Jesse out of the living room and up the stairs instead.</p><p class="p1">“I’m using the bathroom first,” Eugene said at the door into their spooky bedroom for the night. “You take forever.”</p><p class="p1">“Fine,” Jesse agreed.</p><p class="p1">Eugene didn’t need long and was cleared out of the bathroom and onto setting up for the night in no time. Jesse took his time.</p><p class="p1">“Did you notice that the hot water doesn’t work right?” Jesse asked when he stepped from the master bath looking ready for a photoshoot in a pristine white pajama set accented in a pretty yellow that looked like a soft gold on Jesse. It made the piping on the cuffs of the long pants and long sleeves and the low dip of the collared and buttoned front all stand out against the bright white. But most outlandish of all was the golden peacock feathers that floated across the fabric.</p><p class="p1">“Ghosts,” Eugene offered in explanation.</p><p class="p1">Jesse made a face, fussing with his hair.</p><p class="p1">“You don’t seriously believe that, do you? Ghosts and all. It’s just an act, right? You can’t honestly think that nonsense exists.”</p><p class="p1">“It totally does.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse opened his mouth to argue more but then his eyes narrowed at Eugene and he seemed to change tracks.</p><p class="p1">“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked impatiently.</p><p class="p1">“Trying to decide if you’re dressing up for the camera or if you seriously wear fancy-pants pajamas like that every night.”</p><p class="p1">“Wouldn’t you like to know?”</p><p class="p1">“Maybe.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse stood out in the dim room like a beacon of gleaming light. He was all white and gold—the palette suited him. White skin over delicate collarbones and golden hair over delicate features. <em>Pretty. </em></p><p class="p1">“Isn’t it time to shoot the goodnight video or something?” Jesse asked, but Eugene held up his phone.</p><p class="p1">“Already on it.”</p><p class="p1">“Of course you were filming,” Jesse muttered, features set in a dark sulk as he inspected his sleeping bag.</p><p class="p1">“It’s made for camping,” Eugene pointed out when Jesse poked miserably at a scuff. “I think it can survive the ten minutes it spent outside today.”</p><p class="p1">“Lucky bag.”</p><p class="p1">“Hey,” Eugene said, reaching from his seat on top of his own sleeping bag and guiding Jesse’s sullen face to look over at him. “You okay?”</p><p class="p1">“Why wouldn’t I be?” Jesse’s voice was terse and clipped and his eyes were not set on Eugene but on the phone in his hand. Eugene clicked the phone off and dropped it.</p><p class="p1">“If you got hurt when you fell, you shouldn’t keep it to yourself. We’ll leave if you need us to. Even a sprain, Jesse, I’m serious. I want you to level with me. Are you hurt?”</p><p class="p1">“No,” Jesse said, meeting Eugene’s eyes. “I’m fine.”</p><p class="p1">“Good. Well, goodnight, then.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse pursed his lips, then nodded. Eugene didn’t realize his hand had still been cupped gently against Jesse’s jaw until he pulled away and slipped into his sleeping bag.</p><p class="p1">“Guess that means I’m getting the lights. Again.” Eugene stood. Flipping the lights, he said, “Since you’re the one that doesn’t believe in ghosts, it should really be <em>you </em>turning out the lights, don’t you think?”</p><p class="p1">“That sort of thing is beneath me.”</p><p class="p1">“Turning out the lights is beneath you?”</p><p class="p1">“Stumbling around in the dark is. Besides, sleeping bags and blankets won’t protect you from ghouls and demons.”</p><p class="p1">“How would you know? I thought you didn’t believe.”</p><p class="p1">“The only thing stupider than the idea of ghosts being real is the idea that they won’t murder you just because you’re tucked in.”</p><p class="p1">“I can’t argue with that.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse hummed in acknowledgment of Eugene’s concession to him. He sounded too smug.</p><p class="p1">“You know,” Eugene said loudly, looking up at the ceiling, “if there are any ghosties out and about tonight, my pretty friend here would love to meet you. You should come say hello. Can we get a sign that you’re here—woah! Jesse, did you hear that?”</p><p class="p1">“No.”</p><p class="p1">“I swear there was a voice.”</p><p class="p1">“Since there are two people downstairs right now, I don’t think voices count as compelling evidence that there are ghosts here. Or at all.”</p><p class="p1">“So you admit that you heard something!”</p><p class="p1">“Hardly. This place is so full of old house sounds, it’s impossible to tell. And don’t call me pretty. <em>Or </em>your friend.”</p><p class="p1">“Damn, back at it with more shit I can’t call you. So what does my cheerleader say to the coincidence of a voice sounding right when I asked if there were ghosts about?”</p><p class="p1">“That it was a <em>coincidence. </em>And I’m not your anything. And I’m not a cheerleader—not even metaphorically.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene chuckled as Jesse turned over in his sleeping bag, his back facing Eugene, and not by accident.</p><p class="p1">“You realize that just makes me want to keep trying out nicknames, right?”</p><p class="p1">“What does?”</p><p class="p1">“The way you react to it. It’s cute.”</p><p class="p1">“Stop that.”</p><p class="p1">“Why?”</p><p class="p1">Jesse turned again, this time in an angry, jerky movement.</p><p class="p1">“You said it yourself. It’s a bit for your stupid show and I’m sorry but I don’t believe in giving <em>that</em> kind of fan service. It’s frankly unethical. Exton has far higher standards of class than that.”</p><p class="p1">Eugene didn’t know what he’d expected but it definitely wasn’t <em>that. </em>There was something honest in the glare Jesse set on him and the red cheeks that were just barely visible in the dark. And the words themselves were telling enough on their own.</p><p class="p1">Eugene took a second to consider the man next to him, let his head roll to the side to look at Jesse full-on.</p><p class="p1">Jesse Coste was a brat and a menace. Eugene hadn’t wanted him on the show or at this shoot. The only reason he’d gone after him any of the times he had was because neither of the others would. He knew poor Bobby—one of the head designers and sewers on Exton Fashion—had to chase Jesse down all the time to touch up tailoring in between shoots. Jesse was used to it being someone’s job to <em>come after </em>him. Eugene didn’t really dig the idea of it being <em>his</em> job. But part of him didn’t much like the idea of Bobby or any of the Exton crew going after Jesse either. Could they make him blush, Eugene wondered. Did he wear his co-stars’ jackets all day regularly? Did Bobby know Jesse actually gave a damn about Nick or that he smelled like strawberries?</p><p class="p1">It was the spike of jealousy over <em>Bobby Rodriguez—</em>the sweetest and least likely person in the world to want Jesse for a partner—that tipped Eugene off.</p><p class="p1">Decisively, he sat up, the zipper on his bag yanking open as he did. Then he was up and walking swiftly to one night-vision camera and then the other, turning them both off.</p><p class="p1">“What are you—?” Jesse asked, but Eugene was already returning to their set up, standing over Jesse and nudging his mat with a foot.</p><p class="p1">“Budge over.”</p><p class="p1">“Excuse me?”</p><p class="p1">“I’ve decided that the hard floor is bad for my back. Share your cushy comforts with me.”</p><p class="p1">“I—what is the meaning of this?”</p><p class="p1">Jesse didn’t take up all that much room in his sleeping bag so Eugene knelt and unzipped it enough to climb in, cocooning them both back up in the warmth as soon as he was in. It was a tight fit and Jesse half-heartedly pushed at Eugene’s chest with his hands, like he meant to keep their bodies from slotting together the way the confined space was campaigning for.</p><p class="p1">“The flirting bit with Nick is just a laugh for the audience. I’m not interested in him. But you…you’re pretty interesting, aren’t you?”</p><p class="p1">“What does that mean?”</p><p class="p1">“It means,” Eugene said, pulling Jesse’s head close and speaking into his ear, “the cameras are all off. And I still think you’re pretty.”</p><p class="p1">“Is that all? Tons of people think I’m pretty.”</p><p class="p1">“From what I know of you, you’re a piece of work and a brat with a real attitude.”</p><p class="p1">“Get out of my bed,” Jesse said flatly, shoving at Eugene with more than half his heart in it this time.</p><p class="p1">“But I think there’s more to you than that,” Eugene continued loudly, words riding on the crest of a laugh as he caught Jesse’s waist and tugged, collapsing Jesse’s arms between them and letting the walls of golden yellow fabric press them together snuggly. “You’re interesting. I’m interested.”</p><p class="p1">“If that’s the best you can do, I don’t know why I should consider humoring your interest.”</p><p class="p1">“Bet I can change your mind about that.”</p><p class="p1">“Really? How?”</p><p class="p1">“I’ve got one last piece of evidence. May I present it?”</p><p class="p1">Jesse’s sharp eyes missed nothing—not Eugene’s slick smile or appraising eyes or suggestive voice. He knew exactly what he’d get if he said—</p><p class="p1">“Yes.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse’s fingers curled into the front of Eugene’s shirt as Eugene’s arms tightened around him, one hand sliding up his back, following the curve of his spine up to cradle the back of his neck and press his head forward on the pillow. And right into Eugene.</p><p class="p1">Jesse’s forty-minute skincare routine was worth it. His cheek was smooth under Eugene’s lips and, when Eugene kissed it next, his mouth was soft with perfectly moisturized lips. Eugene could practically taste how pink they were and how pretty Jesse was. But maybe that was the influence of the strawberry scent wafting from Jesse’s hair. Despite two days away from civilization, the flaxen strands were downy soft between Eugene’s fingers. Tugging lightly at the strands got Jesse to yield a little noise and a tiny gap between lush lips. Eugene sought to widen that gap, teasing at it with his tongue.</p><p class="p1">Jesse let Eugene tease apart his lips and kiss into his mouth. Judging by the way Jesse fought against the confining fabric of his sleeping bag to swing a leg up over Eugene’s hips and slot their bodies tighter together with another stuttered moan, he wasn’t just indulging Eugene. He liked this every bit as much as Eugene did.</p><p class="p1">“I want a full report,” Jesse murmured against Eugene’s lips. “As soon as you get to know me properly, I want a better list of things you like about me.”</p><p class="p1">“Maybe,” Eugene told him, trailing kisses down his jaw to nip at one of the collarbones his soft and extravagant pajamas left exposed. “But I <em>can </em>tell you right now that I think your big attitude is almost as cute as it is annoying.”</p><p class="p1">“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”</p><p class="p1">Eugene wasn’t concerned overly much with placating Jesse just now. He was already shifting against Eugene again, readjusting to get more comfortably and closely settled into him. The movement of his leg shifted Eugene’s grip on his waist and the arch of his back tugged his shirt just out of place enough to leave Eugene’s hand pressing into a sliver of warm skin. He took the invitation, sliding up under the shirt and raking back down Jesse’s bare back to make him shiver.</p><p class="p1">“You should definitely come to our next overnight episode,” he informed Jesse reverently.</p><p class="p1">“I thought I was a hazard to myself and everyone around me?”</p><p class="p1">“Aw, you know I wouldn’t let any ghosts get your ass.”</p><p class="p1">“Possessiveness isn’t an attractive quality, Eugene.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re smiling, Jess.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re calling me names again.”</p><p class="p1">“Still smiling.”</p><p class="p1">Jesse leaned into Eugene and kissed him. But he didn’t deny it. Eugene hefted Jesse closer, tightening his arms and carefully breaking open Jesse’s smile.</p><p class="p1">Eugene had come here looking for ghosts but he didn’t mind at all that he’d found <em>this </em>instead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Do I have an idea for a Nichoji sequel? Yes, yes  I do. Do I have any idea when it will be written? No, no I do not.<br/>Also, dumb note that's super important to me that you know: sewer is pronounced SOH-er and I used that term because Bobby designs and sews outfits, rather than only tailoring and modifying them.</p><p>Thanks for reading and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! 💜🦇💜</p></blockquote></div></div>
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